SLC Habitat hand over keys to veteran in Lakewood Park

A new home, a new start. U.S. Military Veteran, Joe Ramos, had a house dedicated to him on Thursday morning in the Lakewood Park section of Fort Pierce. It was restored by St. Lucie Habitat for Humanity, and funded by a donation from Community Housing Development Organization which is owned by St. Lucie Habitat for Humanity, and a $26,000 donation from Waste Management which has a national partnership with Habitat for Humanity. “We reached out to the St. Lucie Chapter to find out what they had going on and we were told about the new Veteran’s program,” Dawn McCormick said. McCormick is a Community Affairs Manager for Waste Management.

Mae Gammino

Aubrie Wright (from right) shows her mother, Lacey Suarez and her step father, Javier Suarez, one of the bedrooms in a new house she and boyfriend, U.S. Army Military Veteran, SGT. Joseph Ramos, had dedicated to him on Thursday morning in the Lakewood Park section of Fort Pierce. A recipient of a Purple Heart for service in Afghanistan, Ramos was severely wounded in 2009 and had to spend time at Walter Reed Hospital before returning home to Fort Pierce where he was able to begin the process to own a home, made possible through the Veterans Housing Program created by the St. Lucie Habitat for Humanity.

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King, a service German Shepherd, is never far from his best friend, U.S. Army Military Veteran, SGT. Joseph Ramos. “He assists me emotionally and physically. My right foot was shattered, my back injured and I get anxious sometimes, he is here for me.” He and King wait for the dedication to begin for Ramos’s new home on Thursday in Fort Pierce. It was made possible through the Veterans Housing Program created by the St. Lucie Habitat for Humanity.

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Mr. and Mrs. Alpheus Forbes of St Lucie Habitat Service Committee watch King, a service German Shepherd, and U.S. Army Military Veteran, SGT. Joseph Ramos. Ramos and King take a break after the dedication on Thursday in Fort Pierce for his new home. It was made possible through the Veterans Housing Program created by the St. Lucie Habitat for Humanity.

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WWII veteran, and St. Lucie River Chapter Color Guard Commander, Jay Wise (front), prepares the flag he presented to U.S. Army Military Veteran, Joe Ramos (not pictured), during a house dedication ceremony on Thursday morning in the Lakewood Park section of Fort Pierce. Helping Wise is a new neighbor to Ramos, Clyde Hopkins. Hopkins became know as “the Doughnut Man” for the treats he would bring from a local favorite shop, Dixie Cream Doughnuts, to fuel the volunteers restoring the home Ramos received through the Veteran’s Housing Program run by St. Lucie Habitat for Humanity.

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U.S. Military Veteran, Joe Ramos, waits with his service dog, King, and his cousin, Alex Voronin, before his house dedication ceremony on Thursday in Fort Pierce. The house was restored by St. Lucie Habitat for Humanity, and funded by a donation from Community Housing Development Organization which is owned by St. Lucie Habitat for Humanity, and a $26,000 donation from Waste Management which has a national partnership with Habitat for Humanity. “This is a fresh new start, I can feel it in the air,” Ramos said.

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WWII veteran, and St. Lucie River Chapter Color Guard Commander, Jay Wise (behind flag), holds the flag he presented to U.S. Army Military Veteran, Joe Ramos (middle), during a house dedication ceremony on Thursday morning in the Lakewood Park section of Fort Pierce. Ramos received a new home through the Veteran’s Housing Program run by St. Lucie Habitat for Humanity. Next to Ramos is his cousin, Alex Voronin.

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U.S. Military Veteran, Joe Ramos, is handed the key to his new home by his cousin, Alex Voronin, during his house dedication ceremony on Thursday in Fort Pierce. The house was restored by St. Lucie Habitat for Humanity, and funded by a donation from Community Housing Development Organization which is owned by St. Lucie Habitat for Humanity, and a $26,000 donation from Waste Management which has a national partnership with Habitat for Humanity. “This is a fresh new start, I can feel it in the air,” Ramos said.$RETURN$$RETURN$

Mae Gammino

In only a month the love is evident between U.S. Army Military Veteran, SGT. Joseph Ramos and King, his service German Shepherd. “He assists me emotionally and physically. My right foot was shattered, my back injured and I get anxious sometimes, he is here for me.” He and King wait for the dedication to begin for Ramos’s new home on Thursday in Fort Pierce. The home was made possible through the Veterans Housing Program created by the St. Lucie Habitat for Humanity.

Mae Gammino

Family, friends and community groups gather at the new home of U.S. Army Military Veteran, Joe Ramos on Thursday morning. Ramos received a new home through the Veteran’s Housing Program run by St. Lucie Habitat for Humanity.